430 Of the Nature of Vol.II. another World, whichare futurities, and invifible, which the Apoftle is there fpeaking of; or of things which are of the faine nature with thefe, as things paft not but that a Man may very well be induced to believe a thing by his Senfes. 2..Experience ; which thorn it may be fenfible, and then it is the fame Argument with Senfe, yet fometimes it is not , and then it is an Argu- ment diftin& from it. As for Example, a Man may by experience be per- fwaded or induced to believe this Propofition, that his Will is free, that he can do this, or not do it; which is a better Argument than a Demonftra- tion to the contrary, if there could be one. 3. Reafons drawn from the thing ; which may either be neceffary and concluding, or elfe only probable, and plau The Authority and Teftimony of fome credible Perfon. Now two things give Authority and Credit to the Relation, or Teftimony, or Affertion of a Perfon concerning any thing ; Ability, and Integrity. Ability, if he can be prefumed to have a competent knowledge of what he relates, or afferts, or tefltfies; and Integrity, if he may be prefumed to be honeft in his relation, and free from any defign, or will to deceive. And to thefe Heads, I think all Arguments ofBelief may be reduc'd. II. The Second Thing to be confider'd is the Degrees of Faith, and the difference of them. And that there are Degrees, 1 take for granted, tho' I thall afterwards have occafion to proveit in a Divine Faith; and thefe de- pend perfe&ly upon the Capacity of the Perfon that believes, or is perfua- ded. Now the Capacity, or Incapacity of Perfons are infinitely various, and not to be reduced to Theory ; but fuppofing a competent capacity in the Perfon, then the Degrees of Faith or Perfuafion take their difference from the Arguments, or Motives, or Inducements which are ufed to perfuade. Where Senfe is the Argument, there is the higheft and firmeft Degree of Faith, or Perfuafion. Next to that is Experience, which is beyond any Argument or Reafon from the thing. The Faith, or Perfuafion which is wrought in us by Reafons drawn from the thing, the Degrees of it are, as the Reafons are: if they be neceffary and concluding, it is firm and certain in its kind; if only probable, according to the degrees ofprobability, it bath more or lefs of doubting mix'd with it. Iaftly, the Faith which is wrought in us by Teftimony or Authority of a Perfon, takes its degrees from theCre- dit of the Perfon, that is, his Ability, and Integrity. Now becaufe all Men are Lyars, that is, either may deceive, or be deceived, their Teftimonypar- takes of their Infirmity, and fo doth the degree of perfuafion wrought by it : but God being-both Infallible, and True, and confequently it being im- poffible that he fhould either deceive, or be deceived, his Teftimony begets the firmeft perfwafion, and the higheft degree of Faith in its kind. But then it is tobe confider'd, that there not being a revelation of a revelation in infinitum; that this is a Divine Teftimony and Revelation, we can only have rational affurance; and the degree of the Faith, or perfwafion which is wrought by a Divine Teftimony will be according to the ítrength of the Arguments which we have to perfwade us that fuch a Teftimony is Divine. III. For the Efficacyor Operation of Faith, we are to confider that the things we may believe or be perfwaded of, are of two forts. Either, r. They are inch as do not concern me; and then the Mind -refts in a naked and fimple belief of them, and a Faith or Perfwafion of fuch things has no effe& upon me; but is apt to have, if ever it happen that the mat- ter do concern me : Or elfe, 2. The thing I believe or am perfwaded of doth concernme; and then it hath feveral Effe&s according to the nature of the thing I am perfwaded of, or the degree of the perfwalion, or the capacity of the Perfon that believes or is perfwaded. If the thing eve- 5
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